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What is already a rather controversial practice – medicating children for ADHD and other mental conditions – just got more controversial. The effects of these types of medications have been intensely researched and passionately debated. But it is no longer just an issue that our children are facing – the pharmaceutical companies are now targeting adults, as well! Listen to The Dani Johnson Show as Dani explores the realities of a highly medicated nation.
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Thank you for shedding light on adult ADHD. My brother-in-Christ suffers from a severe case of ADHD. The simple things we do are difficult for him. It has effective him maintain a career, and he has difficult with college. He returned back to college as an adult learner. Only pray is what gets him through living with ADHD. He can’t keep a job, it becomes too much and he’s asked to leave or he quits. At this point he’s seeking social security disability and that doesn’t look very promising. I’m excited to listen in tomorrow. Thanks again Dani.
Thank you Dani,
I really don’t think people understood what drugs could do to the kids and that was covered!!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you cause so many people look for the easy solution with drugs for this for that and this one for that. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
This is a subject that I pray my daughter and her family will take not and listen. my grandson has been diagnosed, the Dr, says only medication there is not anything natural. I disagree and know as my ruby son teacher in kindergarten said that he had ADHD. We fussed to listen. I changed diet and did every thing I knew to do 35 years ago. Please pray for my grandson, he hates taking the medication.
Look into the Feingold program. It is the only thing that worked for us. We did try medication, but it doesn’t work for long, you have to increase doses, they have disturbing thoughts, and insomnia after a while. It is a hard change, but worth it. And, once you do it, you will be in awe of why everyone else hasn’t tried it! Prayers coming your way too. It is a hard road, but there are a lot of others going through the same thing right now. And, it can get better.
I’m an occupational therapist and work with kids who have an ADHD diagnosis (among many other diagnoses). I am so happy to hear your message today. Parents often ask me my opinion about medication for their child with an ADHD diagnosis and I always advise it is the last step. Many kids are so sedentary throughout the day that they don’t sleep well at night, then they are oversleeping, missing breakfast, eating junk, then you have a little kid in school who has trouble paying attention, fidgets and doesn’t pay attention. Fix the environment, set your kid up for success by providing good nutrition, fun exercise with the family (kids should be actively playing for a few hours a day! – Turn off the TV and let them play). In the morning wake up on time and leave the house having a good breakfast (like porridge and fruit – not sugared processed cereal). Spend the time in the car teaching your child how to behave in class – your kid might not understand some of the unwritten classroom rules. (Such as sit still while sitting on the carpet for story time or ask before going to the toilet). If this isn’t helping then I suggest occupational therapy (OT) is an intervention for ADHD that is drug free and uses activity and education to equip clients to do what they need to do. There are many free online resources you can access and many schools have OT available. Parents who do use the medication should use a diary to daily monitor their child, use videos to get a visual record also of your child’s speech, responses, play etc because it can be tricky to monitor subtle changes in your child’s language or response time as a busy parent. Remember that the way our society lives is artificial your energetic, adventurous, easily distracted (means they notice everything) child would be perfectly equipped to successfully live in a different environment – think what life would be like just 100 or 200 years ago where you live and how these qualities would have made them a perfect new settler / inventor / artist / hunter / designer and more! in just a slightly different environment than the apartment living, TV watching, mindless lifestyle many of us are sadly adopting for ourselves and our children. Just to reiterate: The first step should be exercise, good nutrition, good sleep, educate about the expected rules and if you need further assistance then seek the help of a professional educational psychologist or occupational therapist. If you do use medication monitor your child before and after with a daily diary and visual record. These drugs cause permanent neurological (brain) changes and should only be used with careful consideration.
I would further add that if you are a parent facing this diagnosis over your child it is worth having your child checked for food allergies, reflux and constipation as issues in this area can look like attention / behavioural issue but you would need professional consultation to determine if there is a bio-medical cause of the attention issue you are seeing.. Remember if you or your child does have an attention disorder you have professionals out there that can support you without using medication as the first recourse.